


Cracker Jack

by Pikelet184



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo is a Mess, Birth, Carjacking, Child, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Gun Violence, High School, Kid Fic, Kidnapped, Kidnapping, Kylo Ren Redemption, Labour, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Pregnancy, Pregnant Rey (Star Wars), Redemption, Underworld, birthing scene, high school bond mates, labor, rey doesn't get hurt, underworld figure Ben
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:48:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27253690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pikelet184/pseuds/Pikelet184
Summary: Rey hadn't planned to be alone during labour. She certainly hadn't planned on getting carjacked on the way to the hospital either. And she definitely hadn't expected the carjacker to be the sad and lonely boy from high school, who'd once held a special place in her heart.Will he remember their bond and save her or is he too far gone?
Relationships: Ben Solo/Rey, Kylo Ren & Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Kylo Ren/Ben Solo
Comments: 71
Kudos: 220





	1. The one where all hell breaks loose

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! It's been a long time since I've written anything, but this story came to me at the beginning of the year when we were in lockdown. It originally started out as an escape to scream out my frustrations, but it quickly developed from a one-shot to something much bigger. This chapter has been sitting in isolation ready to go for 6 months lol but I finally feel ready to post, now that I've gotten the next few chapters written. Thank you to Sarah, Louise and Heathyr for looking over this chapter.
> 
> TW/ Pregnancy, labour, birth, carjacking, minor violence. Remember if you don't like - don't read. 
> 
> Thanks everyone!

"Oh, fuck. How much longer?"

"Geez lady, it's not like I can move the traffic."

"How much longer?" Rey grits out again, her nails digging into the seat in front of her. "It feels like we've been stuck at these damn red lights for hours."

The man behind the wheel dares to chuckle. "Try one minute girly," he replies gruffly. "And unless you've been living under a rock, you would know that Coruscant traffic at 5:00 pm on a weekday is like trying to escape the devil's ass crack."

"Oh, shit," Rey says, looking down at her swollen belly as another contraction hits. "It's really starting to hurt. I need to get to the hospital."

"Well if you want to get out and walk, be my guest," the driver tells her as he presses a button on his console and turns around to face her. "That will be $17.22 plus tip."

Rey's eyes narrow with fury as she imagines burning deep searing holes into the cab driver's big, bald head. Oh, how she wishes she could lean over and start using him as a punching bag.

To say Rey’s day was turning out unexpectedly was an understatement. At 37 weeks pregnant, she'd only started her maternity leave from her restaurant job a couple of days earlier and she had been hoping she'd have a bit more time to rest and prepare before her little starlight entered the world.

Her contractions had started earlier that morning; just little niggles and twinges that were nothing to be overly concerned about. Her midwife had told her to time them and head to the hospital when they were coming every five minutes. Throughout the day she’d texted a few of her excited friends and colleagues and told them they were going to be aunts and uncles soon and not to worry about her. Her best friend (and self-appointed birthing coach) Finn had insisted she go to the hospital immediately, but Rey had managed to calm him down and convince him everything was fine and that most first pregnancies took hours.

It was mid-afternoon when she’d been sitting in a warm bath trying to help relieve her discomfort that the contractions started getting stronger and closer together. To her horror, her contractions had gone from their regular nine-minute intervals to four minutes quite quickly. Shaking with fear, she’d managed to get herself out of the tub, had quickly thrown on a pair of yoga pants and a sweater, grabbed her hospital bag by the front door and texted Finn to let him know it was time to meet her at the hospital. His work was across town, so there was no point coming downtown to pick her up and then cross back the way he came.

Rey had slowly made her way down her apartment building’s ten flights of stairs while cursing the landlord and his stubborn inability to get the elevator fixed.

It had been clear the second she’d hailed a cab from the sidewalk and gotten into the back seat that the cab driver – Plutt, she’d noticed on his license card – hadn’t wanted to take her anywhere, and had been more worried about the potential mess Rey could make than the plight of an in-labor woman.

"I'm not getting out!" Rey yells back at him, furious that the lights are still red. "As soon as those lights change you floor it, got it? Drive as fast as you can otherwise there’s going to be amniotic fluid all over your god damn cab!"

Plutt's eyes widen at the threat, but he knows he’s lost the fight. "Fine," he huffs, as he turns back around to face the front. "But if you end up giving birth in my cab, you're paying for the cleaning detail and any loss of fares."

Before Rey can retort back with an expletive, another contraction pulls her away and she suddenly feels the need to move. She takes off her seatbelt and starts to shift around the back seat, trying to find a comfortable position.

"What the hell are you doing?" Plutt asks, looking at her through his rear-view mirror.

"Just keep your eyes on the road," Rey manages to breathe out as she begins rocking back and forth on all fours.

After a minute, Rey needs to move again and slowly manoeuvres herself so she's lying down on her back. As she feels another contraction start to build, she puts a hand on her stomach and the other reaches out behind her to grab the door's armrest ready to brace herself.

_Oh my god, hurry up._

Tears form in her eyes, and she tries to remember the breathing exercises she learnt a couple of months ago at the only parenting class she attended. 

_Breathe in…breathe out._

_Breathe in…breathe out…and push the pressure away…_

_…_

_What a load of crap._

She closes her eyes with an anguished groan, trying to use all her concentration to remain calm and listen to her body. It's at this point she finally notices the loud male voices and yelling going on around her.

"What the hell?" 

"Get out of the fucking car!"

"Let go of me, you punk!" 

"Get out of the fucking car, before I put a bullet through your head."

There's the sound of a struggle and a rush of grunts before Rey opens her eyes to catch Plutt being pulled roughly out of the cab and a red-headed figure jumping behind the wheel. Rey's eyes widen in shock, not quite believing what's going on before a second figure with dark hair appears and quickly slams the front passenger door.

"Get us the fuck out of here, Hux!"

The red-headed man slams his foot down on the accelerator and the cab rears forward. Rey hears horns blaring and people screaming as she feels the car start to zip in and out of traffic.

Panic builds in Rey's chest and she swears she can feel her heart beating loudly in her ears like a drum. The chance of these two men being cops who suddenly had to commandeer a car to chase down a criminal slowly fades away with each passing minute, as Rey remains frozen like a statue and becomes an unknowing witness to their conversations.

"Shit, that was close." 

  
"It wouldn't have been close if you had just listened to me," the dark-haired man growls. "We were supposed to be in and out quietly without being detected. Snoke won’t be pleased, not to mention the heat you could bring to the Knights of Ren."

"Don't threaten me, Kylo. You’re the one with a noose around your neck. Not me. Besides, I was the one who secured the intel.”

"Yeah, not before panicking and killing two security guards and then stealing a cab in the middle of Coruscant's rush hour. What an asset you are," he sneers back sarcastically.

Rey feels the car turn sharply and grips the seat so she doesn't fly off and land on the floor. She raises her head and manages to get a peek out the back window. She can no longer see tall buildings and city blocks and the road no longer feels smooth. Trees are blurring by in a rush as the car speeds ahead. They’re outside the city now, and it looks like they might be on one of the dirt back roads that head to the next town over, Exegol. It's not a pleasant place, and this stretch of road is not popular with the locals due to the lack of phone reception.

Another contraction claws at her insides and she swears her top teeth are going to leave permanent indentation marks on her bottom lip as she tries to keep quiet. Once the pain starts to taper off, she looks around feeling scared and exhausted. She can’t believe the two men haven’t noticed her yet. Thankfully, they seem too caught up with their impromptu getaway and arguing with each other that they can’t seem to sense her.

She needs to get away from them…but how? Maybe if she tries to stay quiet, they’ll soon dump the car and never realise she was even there. However, the second she thinks that plan could work another contraction overwhelms her, hitting her like a tidal wave that she can’t help but scream out in agony.

"OH MY GOD!"

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" the two men yell out in tandem, turning around to investigate the disturbance, their eyes widening in shock.

Rey feels the car suddenly slam to a stop, the brakes screeching, the impact causing her to fly forward and hit the seats in front of her.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” she hears the red-headed man repeat angrily as she feels the car’s engine switch off. “Who the hell are you? How long have you been back there?” he yells, spittle spraying everywhere.

Rey scrunches her face in pain and tries to sit up properly in her seat.

“Oh no fucking way,” the red-headed man spits out as he eyes her up and down, taking notice of her belly. “The bitch is pregnant!”

Rey groans in reply as she finally makes eye contact with the two criminals.

The red-headed man – Hux – is staring at her hard, his nostrils flaring with anger like he’s about to explode or reach over the seat to shake her to death. With a wince, she pushes away a sweaty piece of hair that’s stuck to her forehead and slowly shifts to look over at the other man – Kylo.

As soon as her eyes fall upon him, she lets out a tiny gasp of surprise and wonders if she’s fallen back in time.

_It can’t be…_

His familiar features still look the same from when they were teenagers; the scattered moles across his pale skin, his regal nose, and his strong jaw, but gone are the sadness and boyish qualities she remembers seeing every day. The man in front of her now has a hardened stance and dark eyes that pierce hers with such coldness that they don’t offer a shred of familiarity.

“Ben?” She can’t help but whisper.

His brows narrow slightly at the name like he’s trying to remember a memory, but he makes no movement to address her as a heavy, cold silence engulfs the cab.

A burst of air escapes Hux’s mouth as he turns and stares daggers at the man sitting beside him. “Ben?!” He says, his tone sharp with accusation. “How the fuck does she know your real name?”

The question is met with silence.

“Fine...Okay. Be your usual self…I’m in the mood to play a game anyway.”

Rey watches, frozen, as Hux digs around for something in his pocket before pulling it out and revealing a handgun.

“Please don’t,” Rey begs, as he points the weapon at her.

“The game is simple. How do you know my friend here?”

“I…I don’t…” 

“Liar,” he growls, pressing down gently on the trigger, his eyes cold as steel. “This is your last chance, how do you know my friend?”

Before she can even think about answering, another contraction hits her like a freight train, causing her to grip the seat beside her as she tries to breathe through the pain and fear of having a gun in her face. When the agony starts to fade away for a few precious minutes, Rey hesitantly opens her eyes not wanting to face reality. Hux is still pointing a gun at her and not looking impressed at the interruption of his interrogation and Ben…or Kylo, as he’s now apparently called, is still looking at her with an air of superiority and indifference.

Well in that case…fuck him.

She has no choice, but to answer Hux’s question truthfully. It’s her and her baby’s life on the line and it’s clear that the boy who was once quiet and shy and had helped her out many times during their senior year was no longer in there.

“We went to high school together,” Rey mumbles, putting a protective hand on her stomach.

Hux stares at her silently for a moment, assessing if she’s telling the truth before giving her an unsettling smile that reminds Rey of an unhinged mental patient.

“Well isn’t this nice. An unexpected turn of events,” he goads and turns to his friend. “The one car we steal in the entire city and someone from your _past_ is hiding in the back seat.”

“It’s not a concern,” Ben finally says. His baritone voice comes out calm and smooth, and Rey is immediately captivated by it. “So, she knows who I _used_ to be.”

“It’s not a concern? Really? She could identify you Kylo and then, in turn, identify me.”

Ben looks over at her, his dark eyes measuring her up, his features still giving nothing away. “She’s not going to say anything.”

“How can you be sure?” Hux hisses. “Were you friends?”

Ben looks back at her as she feels another contraction hit. Every one more intense and closer than the last. She breathes through the pain as a single tear escapes and runs down her face. She wants Finn. She wants Maz. She’d even take her neighbour Poe - who is a womanising sleaze ball - right now if it got her away from here.

She meets Ben’s gaze again hoping to decipher what they’re going to do with her, but instead, he looks over to Hux and says coolly, “We weren’t friends. She means nothing to me.”

Rey can’t help but feel stung by his words. Yes, they didn’t hang out together at lunchtime or after school. Truth be told they were both loners who would only sit with a friend or two when they were trying to protect themselves against the school bullies. But still, he knows they weren’t invisible to each other and that he had meant something to her.

Rey had grown up in the foster system from the age of five, so she’d learnt quickly that there was no point in getting attached to anyone or anything. It hadn’t been until she’d started at Coruscant High School that she’d been adopted by a lovely woman named Maz, who’d tried to give her the home life and stability she craved. But still, the scars had run deep and at times it had been hard to heal and move on.

She remembers Ben Solo, the boy from a distance who seemed to stand out to her like a kindred spirit. He’d always seemed so sad and lonely and that was something Rey had recognised within herself. They’d shared a lot of the same classes; he’d been smart and knowledgeable in anything to do with English, History and Mathematics, but he’d been awkwardly shy and constantly being picked on for his big ears and his endless supply of Cracker Jacks that he’d carried around with him. She remembers one day when she’d forgotten her lunch - it hadn’t been the first time she’d gone hungry - that she’d walked back to her locker to grab the books she needed for her next class and had found a packet of Cracker Jacks sitting neatly inside. Rey couldn’t describe the warm feeling that had developed in her chest as she’d sat down and chewed on the caramel popcorn and peanuts. For the first time in her life, she’d felt truly seen and cared for, and after being a nobody for most of her life it had been a foreign concept to grasp, but she’d welcomed it like a new friend. From that moment on she’d never gone a day without finding a bag of Cracker Jacks in her locker, and on the odd days she would come back to school after being sick, she would find a pile of study notes from the classes she’d missed in his unique handwriting. 

The only acknowledgment they’d ever given to one another about their unusual but treasured interactions had been a shared knowing glance or shy smile every now and then. It had been like their little secret and from there an unspoken bond had been created.

But looking at the man in front of her, Rey can see their bond is long gone with not a single trace left of his former self.

Now battling with a sense of defeat, Rey is pulled out of her memories by another bone-crushing contraction. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Hux pull the keys out of the ignition and indicate to Ben to get out of the car.

She watches them slam the doors and walk a few feet away. They begin talking in hushed tones, but Rey can still hear every word through her heavy panting.

“This isn’t good. Snoke will not be pleased with this…development.”

“She won’t say anything. She’s scared and the labor is making her incoherent.”

“She won’t be in labor forever,” Hux hisses and takes a step into Ben’s personal space. “Once her little spawn is born, she’ll call the FBI and Snoke and the Knights of Ren will be revealed.”

Ben shrugs his shoulders like he’s flicking off a fly. “Fuck the Knights of Ren.”

“Ahhh so there it is. Finally, the truth about how the great Kylo really feels…”

Their voices fade as Ben starts walking away, but Hux furiously follows screaming out, “We need to kill the bitch now!”

Rey’s eyes widen in terror. It’s time to go. NOW. Gasping through the pain, she manages to quietly open the back door and begins crawling out on her hands and knees. Reaching the back tire she looks out over the dusty road and knows her only option is to get herself across the road and hide amongst the trees and shrubs. 

There is nowhere else to go. And no one to help her.

Suddenly, she hears Hux’s voice coming closer as he screeches. “We don’t keep witnesses alive!”

Rey misses what Ben says and proceeds to crawl awkwardly while trying to grasp her stomach a few times to help with the pain. She almost reaches the edge of the road when she hears Hux yell out. “What, did you have a thing for her back then or something?”

Rey stops briefly and her ears prick up. Silence follows the question before mocking laughter erupts.

“Oh my god, you did. You’re a fucking pussy… _Ben_.”

Rey swears she hears a struggle, followed by grunts of pain.

“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do,” Hux’s voice booms out across the open space. “First I’m going to kill your little bitch and then I’m going to drag you back to Snoke where he can deal with your betrayal and lack of loyalty. We both know how Snoke likes to deal with those who have fallen from the cause, and I’m going to enjoy every second of it.”

Rey continues to scurry away, her teeth biting into her bottom lip, as she suddenly feels a lot of pressure in her pelvis. She senses Hux’s footsteps getting closer to the car.

_Oh my god. Someone help me. Please._

“Fuck! Where the hell are you?” She hears Hux shouting when he must see that she’s no longer in the back seat. Looking over her shoulder, she catches him out of the corner of her eye and he must see her too, as he immediately comes running out from behind the car with his gun trained. “Nice try bitch! But did you really think you would be getting out of this alive?”

“Please,” Rey begs as she rolls onto her side, in a weak attempt to try and protect her baby.

For a moment there is an eerie silence and then a single gunshot rings out into the night. Rey screams and clutches at her belly more tightly. She waits to feel the pain of the bullet ripping through her skin and blood pouring out everywhere, but she doesn’t. Her pain is still the same as her contractions continue rolling through her. She lifts her head and pats down her body to see where the bullet could have gotten her. But she can’t find anything, and instead hears footsteps crunching along the gravel and heading towards her.

It’s Ben. And he has a gun in his hand.

She starts staggering back on her hands and knees in shock and that’s when she catches a glimpse of something lying on the ground a few feet behind him.

Hux. Lying in a pool of blood.

Ben stops in front of her, and she looks up, taking in his looming and dangerous form. His mask of indifference still gives her no clue to what’s going on so she sits back in fearful silence and waits.

After a few moments, he lets out a heavy sigh and tucks the gun into his waistband. Crouching down in front of her, his eyes soften. “Rey.”

The surprising and gentle tone of her name causes the dam within her to break and before she knows it, she’s burst into heavy sobs.

“You’re okay,” he puts a gentle hand on her arm, but she can tell by the look on his face the action is foreign. “You and your baby are going to be okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She nods in relief as she starts to stand up with his help, when she hears a loud pop and feels a gush of liquid hitting her feet.

“Oh my god, what was that? Am I bleeding?” Her voice asks in a panic.

Ben stares down, his eyes wide. “I think your water just broke.”

Rey looks around helplessly at her surroundings and tries to measure up her options. A dead man is lying across the road, there’s a hijacked cab nearby and her old school peer and would-be kidnapper right next to her. Even if they got in the cab now and drove back to the city, Rey’s sure they wouldn’t make it in time.

No, she was going to have her baby out in the middle of nowhere and a criminal was the only person who could help her. She turns quickly and stumbles towards a big leafy tree that she can see off in the distance. 

_It looks like a safe place to give birth._

“Rey? Where are you going? Ben yells out. “Take the cab and get out of here.”

“No,” she screams back and clutches her stomach. _Almost there_. “I’m in no condition to drive and that car is tainted.”

She feels him rush up beside her and put a supportive arm around her as they walk together. “I won’t make it to the hospital. I know I won’t,” she tells him as they reach the tree. She leans up against it and screams.

“I need to push,” she gasps out and his face goes paler than the moon. She doesn’t know where she finds the strength or the guts as technically, he’s still a dangerous criminal with a gun, but she grabs him by the shirt and screams at him. “Don’t think you’re leaving me like this, Ben Solo. You owe me! Now help me out of my pants.”

Ben gets a strange look in his eye before nodding and bending down to help her out of her dripping yoga pants.

“Oh fuck. I need to push,” she tells him again as she takes her loose pants and lays them on the ground preparing to sit on them. “Please help me. Don’t leave,” she begs as another contraction builds and she feels like she’s losing herself. “It hurts so much.”

“I’m here,” he answers as he ducks down to his knees, his hulking figure still imposing and his face full of stern determination. His Kylo persona is back, but she can see small glimpses of Ben Solo through the cracks, and that brings her some comfort.

“Can you see the head?” She asks him, spreading her legs as wide as she can. She watches as Ben’s eyes bulge widely in response. It would almost be comical if she wasn’t in so much fucking pain.

“Fuck…I think I see something. I see…I see the top of the head,” he stutters out in shock and…maybe wonder. “I see dark hair…”

Rey gives a pained smile at the news before she feels the need to push some more. “You need to count to ten.”

Ben shuffles forward and she feels him grip her thighs to help keep her legs spread open for him as he begins to count, his baritone voice resounding through the night keeping her tethered.

“One, two, three…”

“Arghhh!”

“Four, five, six…”

“No, stop! No more. I can’t do this! I want to go home,” she cries and falls back against the tree in exhaustion.

“You’re almost there. You and your baby will be home soon.”

She shakes her head and looks around at the dark shadows starting to surround them as the sun goes down. She stares back at him, panicked. “Please, I want to go home. I’m scared. I can’t do this.”

“Are you kidding me?” He growls, staring up at her with piercing eyes. But this time they’re not hard. They’re determined. “You have been in labor, got caught up in a hijacking and had a gun pointed at you by a psychopath. You can do this.”

She shakes her head, fighting against his words that are trying to sink in.

“You’re not alone,” he whispers carefully. “You can do this.”

Through the painful and distressing haze, she catches another tiny glimpse of the shy boy she used to know and it gives her strength. “Okay,” she says, her voice now unwavering. “Start counting.”

He gives her a purposeful look before lowering his head back down and putting his hands out ready for the baby. “One, two, three…”

Rey pushes again as she feels the next contraction hit, her fingernails digging into the ground beside her and getting dirty, but it doesn’t matter. She only cares about listening to Ben’s voice as he guides her.

“Four, five, six…”

She suddenly feels a burning pressure, an escaped gasp and Ben’s shocked voice through the fog telling her the baby’s head is out.

“Can you see if the cord is wrapped around the neck?” She manages to grit out.

Ben’s eyes widen in fear for a moment. It’s clear he didn’t think that could be a possibility. She holds her breath and waits for him to reply. It seems like an eternity before he shakes his head. “No, there’s nothing around the neck.”

Rey sighs in relief and enjoys a few seconds of reprieve before she feels the strong urge to push again. It only takes a couple of more pushes and then it’s over quite quickly; she feels something slippery and wet leave her body, followed by a shrill cry and before she knows it she’s instinctively reaching down to help Ben place the baby on her chest.

“Oh, oh my god,” Rey cries looking down to see her squirming baby red-faced and crying. She counts ten fingers and ten toes, and hears a healthy set of lungs.

“We need to cut the cord,” Rey says, looking around to see if they can use anything to help.

Immediately Ben pulls out a pocketknife, along with a battered flask, he twists off the lid and pours the clear liquid inside onto the blade.

She stares at him, shocked, for a moment before grabbing a couple of clips from her hair. “You need to clamp it first. Then cut it,” she instructs.

He nods in concentration and follows her directions perfectly.

They did it. She can’t believe they did it. 

Rey looks to see Ben standing up and for a split second she’s terrified he’s about to leave, but instead he takes off his leather jacket and places it gently over her and the baby. The weight of the jacket radiates his warmth and covers them instantly. Considering he helped kidnap her only an hour ago, she tries not to think too much about the strong feelings of safety he’s giving her.

Rey plays with the baby’s hand and gently guides a finger down their soft cheek. “I don’t even know what I had.”

“It’s a boy,” Ben tells her. She looks over and he’s now sitting down across from her, watching them both with a calm and peaceful look upon his face. It suits him.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

Her words seem to pull him out of the moment and he shakes his head. “Don’t thank me. That’s the worst thing you could do right now.”

She bites on her bottom lip in thought. “You’re right. But you helped me bring my baby into the world. I still think I should say something gracious.”

Ben scoffs and looks out into the distance. He doesn’t bother apologising about what’s occurred tonight. They both know the magnitude of his actions and one simple apology isn’t going to make much of a difference.

“Where’s your phone?” He asks.

“I think it’s in the pocket of my yoga pants,” she answers. “But I’m sitting on them.”

He crawls over to her and starts digging around for the phone, careful not to jostle her or the baby.

“I’ve still got to deliver the placenta.”

“Hopefully, an ambulance will be here by the time that happens,” he answers, standing up with her phone.

“You can’t get any reception here.”

“I know, but sometimes you can get lucky and get a bar or two…you just have to find a good spot.” He lifts the phone into the air and starts walking around hoping to pick up a signal.

Rey looks down at her baby, still wrapped snugly against her. She gives him a big smile when she notices his bright eyes are open and staring up at her like he’s mesmerised. “Hey, little guy,” she says gently. “I’m your Mom. I know you don’t know what’s going on right now. But you’re safe. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

She notices the sounds underneath Ben’s shoes have stopped and she looks up to see him frozen in front of her, his face full of sadness. “I’m not a good man, Rey. I’m not the same person you knew back in school.”

He’s right, he’s not the same person he once was, but who is? Rey wonders. Sure, it seems Ben went down a road filled with crime and violence that the majority of people don’t take, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious about how he got there after graduating high school and being awarded class Valedictorian.

“So, are you happy with who you are and what you’re doing with your life?” She asks bluntly. The unexpected questions cause him to stumble back like he’s been hit. 

He looks down at his feet, the phone now forgotten as he seriously contemplates her questions. “It doesn’t matter,” he finally states. “It’s too late. I’ve done terrible things in my life and there’s no coming back from that. I don’t deserve to be happy.”

“I don’t believe that. It’s never too late to become a good person,” she tells him, her tone becoming firm. “Who you are now,” she lifts her hand and emphasises his form for good measure. “I get the feeling you truly don’t want to be this person. Because if you did, you wouldn’t have helped me and you wouldn’t have killed Hux to save me.”

He laughs darkly. “It was only a matter of time before Hux got knocked off. I don’t regret killing him.”

“But still,” she continues fervently, “It doesn’t have to be this way…does it?” They stare at one another, each not breaking eye contact, and she feels something unexpected…travel between them.

The moment is abruptly broken when Rey’s phone dings multiple times in Ben’s hand.

It’s music to her ears and she can’t help but smile. They have phone reception. Ben looks down at the device and his brows narrow. “Who’s Finn? Is he your husband? Boyfriend?”

“He’s my best friend.”

He points his head over to the baby. “The father?”

“No. The baby’s father is out of the picture,” she explains. “Finn is just a friend…and he was going to be my birthing coach.”

Ben nods as he scrolls through her phone. “Well, that explains the seventeen text messages and phone calls.”

“He can be a bit of a worrier,” she confirms, watching him carefully. “And after what happened tonight, I think he has every reason to be.”

“Yeah,” Ben whispers in agreement, before clearing his throat and playing with her phone. After a minute he walks back over to her, his body language now closed off. “I’ve texted emergency services. They’re on their way.”

“Oh, that’s quick,” Rey answers stupidly and she doesn’t know why. Yes, she wants to get out of here and get her baby somewhere safe, but that would also mean…

“So, what are you going to do?” She asks carefully.

“Remove Hux’s body and get the fuck out of here,” he says, looking at her like she’s just asked what color the sky is. “You need to tell them you gave birth on your own, do you understand? Tell them whatever you need to to make them believe you.”

She looks up at him shocked for a moment. “What? Wait a minute. You’re just going to leave and pretend nothing happened? After everything we just went through.”

“I have no choice, Rey. You have –

“You’re a coward,” she snaps, cutting him off effectively. “And you’re being selfish. I thought you wanted to change. To be a better person. This is your chance.”

“You’re so naive,” he hisses back. “You have no idea what Snoke and the Knights of Ren are capable of. Until tonight I bet you had never even heard of them and there’s a reason for that. This isn’t about me being a coward or being selfish. Don’t you see I’m trying to protect you?”

Rey opens her mouth to respond, but Ben bends down and looks at her with such intensity she closes her mouth immediately.

“The Knights of Ren is an underworld organisation filled with some of the state’s worst and unknown criminals. If any of them get wind that Hux and I are linked to the crimes committed against you tonight, just after we finished an assignment that was two years in the planning…well, let’s just say I won’t be the only one they will find and bury in a shallow grave,” he tells her intently. His eyes bore into hers with such conviction that she can’t look away. “No matter if it’s purposely or coincidental, the Knights of Ren do not believe in leaving witnesses alive. No exceptions.”

Rey gulps and feels real fear taking root. “What on earth are you a part of Ben?” She asks anxiously. “I thought when you and Hux were talking earlier you were part of some gang, like bikers or something…but it's bigger than that, isn’t it?”

He nods. “I’ve already told you too much. The less you know the better.” He stands up and starts pacing in front of her. “I’m already on the out with the Knights of Ren and Snoke is not far behind, I can feel it.” He stops and stares at his feet like he can’t believe he’s sharing so much of himself with another person. “And you’re right…it’s not me anymore. I’ve lost my taste for it and I think they know that. I was hoping today would be my last job. But it's not easy leaving this kind of life. And while I’m trying to get out, I won’t be dragging you into it any more than you already are.”

She looks down at her innocent baby. If what Ben is saying is right, she can’t risk helping him. It’s too dangerous. “Ok, I get it,” she says. “No more questions or accusations. I just want my baby to be safe.”

“Me too,” he agrees and slowly reaches out a hand towards the baby. He waits to see if she’ll stop him, but she doesn’t. He cups the back of the baby’s head and lightly rubs his thumb along his delicate ear. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so tiny and fragile.”

Rey doesn’t realise a tear has escaped until it drips down her cheek. She hurriedly wipes it away with her sleeve. “Help is going to be here soon,” she reminds him, her voice cracking. “You better go and clean up the mess you’ve made.”

From the look in his eyes, she can tell he understands her words have multiple meanings, but he doesn’t comment on it. “Don’t move,” he says instead, and leans forward to tug the jacket up further. “Try and stay as warm as you can.”

She watches as he runs through the shrubs and faintly sees his outline as he reaches the cab. Within minutes he has the trunk opened and Hux’s body shoved inside. He finds towels and a bottle of water in the car and uses them to clean up the blood on the road.

She can’t help but be stunned at his meticulous care in cleaning up a crime scene - like he’s done it before. “He probably has,” Rey murmurs to herself and closes her eyes not wanting to see any more. She's exhausted.

About ten minutes later, and now watching her son snooze contentedly on her chest, Ben jogs back to her. “We should be right. It's getting dark and there’s supposed to be a storm tonight. It will wash away any evidence I’ve missed.”

“I guess that’s good,” she mumbles and turns away from him. She doesn’t know what else to do or say, and she’s starting to feel pains again in her stomach. It seems her body is getting ready to dispel the placenta. “You should go now,” she tells him, not wanting to put off the inevitable any longer.

“I will when I start hearing sirens,” he confirms. He reaches down and picks up the discarded flask, pocketing it, before wiping off any traces of fingerprints from the pocketknife that had laid beside it with the hem of his shirt. He holds it out towards Rey, and she instinctively reaches a hand out to wrap her own fingers around it, covering his tracks with her own prints. They both let go at the same time, and it drops unceremoniously to the dirt. “But I don’t want to leave yet until I know you’re…safe.”

She looks at him with confused and tired eyes. “You’re quite an enigma, Ben Solo.”

The muscles in his jaw ticks and he offers her a soft smile. “You’re not. You’re still the same person you were in high school.”

“I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or not,” she answers dryly. “Speaking of high school…” she starts then suddenly stops mid-sentence, feeling shy, which makes no sense since earlier he’d had a full view of her vagina. She swallows her nerves as the urge to know is too great. “Is it true what Hux said earlier? About me?”

His brows narrow in question.

“I heard you talking,” she explains. “Is it true? Did you have a thing for me back in school?”

He opens his mouth to say something…but he’s clearly caught off guard and struggling to answer the question. Or maybe he never saw her that way and Hux read him wrong. Rey begins to feel mortified at the thought and after a few moments of awkward silence, she takes mercy on him. “You know what? Don’t worry about it. You’re off the hook for that one.”

Before he can reply they both hear the faint sound of sirens coming from the distance.

“You need to go. Hurry,” she tells him and starts pulling off his jacket that’s covering her and her son. “Don’t forget this.”

“No, it’s cold. Keep it. If they question it, tell them it’s yours.”

“It’s huge, they won’t believe me. Please take it. They’ll be here in a couple of minutes. We’ll be fine.” She pulls the baby closer to her chest and wraps her arms around his tiny frame. “GO!”

He stands there and she can tell he’s worried about leaving them out in the cold, even for a short time, but he soon realises she’s right and takes back his jacket. He starts walking back to the cab slowly, his eyes still looking back at her, like he’s battling with something.

“Run!” she yells. “What are you waiting for?”

“Yes,” he replies.

"What?"

“To your question earlier. My answer is yes. And you have no idea how much.”

She can’t help but give him a tiny smile at his admission and he returns it briefly. However, the moment is over almost as soon as it began because the sirens are getting louder. He turns away and quickly runs towards the cab. She watches as he starts it, smartly leaving the headlights off, and begins guiding the vehicle down the road slowly like he’s trying to keep an eye on her for as long as possible.

His thoughtful actions and his revelation leaves something warm and glowing inside her chest. It reminds her of when she used to find his Cracker Jack packets in her locker. But reality soon comes crashing down to remind her that she’s currently sitting up against a tree in the middle of nowhere, soon to give birth to her placenta, after having a baby and being kidnapped. She’s not sure what to do with the feelings for Ben that are waking inside her, it’s confusing, so she decides to put them away for another day when she actually has time to contemplate.

Within a minute, Ben and the car are gone and two ambulances with their sirens and lights blaring are speeding down the dirt road, turning swiftly into the area where she’s sitting, bright headlights finding her immediately. Her son starts to cry at the intrusion and Rey can’t say she blames him. Her body is beyond exhausted, an exhaustion she can feel in her bones. Just before her heavy eyes close, she catches a man and a woman rushing towards them with their medical equipment in hand, and she thanks her lucky stars that they made it. They’re safe now.

Thanks to Ben… 

**_~ 12 weeks later ~_ **

Rey lets out another harsh breath when she finally reaches the floor of her apartment. Her son is fast asleep, snug against her chest in his sling, while grocery bags weigh down each of her arms. Walking to her door, she whispers murderous threats towards the landlord again - who still hasn’t gotten off his lazy arse and fixed the elevator.

It’s not until she’s almost at her door that she notices a large cardboard box sitting on her welcome mat. She stops in her tracks for a moment in thought. She doesn’t remember ordering anything online…unless it was Finn buying another toy for her son. It wouldn’t be the first time in the last 12 weeks.

Juggling her shopping bags, she tries to dig out her keys to open the door. Sidestepping the box, she pushes the door open with her elbow and walks inside to dump all her bags onto the kitchen bench. Walking carefully to the living room, she untangles her sleeping son from his cocoon and places him gently in the bassinet by the couch. Curious, she walks back over to the door and picks up the inconspicuous box. There are no details on it – not her name or even a hint of who it could be from.

She carefully starts to open the lid and recognises what’s inside immediately - her hospital bag. The one she had left in the cab when Ben took off.

“Oh, thank god,” she whispers, pulling the bag out of the box. It wasn’t until the following morning in the hospital while she’d been feeding her son that she’d remembered it. Her clothes, toiletries and even her wallet had been left in there. For a few paralysing moments, Rey was fearful that the Knights of Ren would find it and link her to Ben and Hux. The only way she could keep herself calm during those first few weeks was to cancel her credit cards, install new locks on all her doors and windows and sleep with a baseball bat beside her bed. She prayed that Ben would be the first one to find her bag and discard it before anyone could find out about the events of that night. Back at the hospital, she’d told the police that she didn’t recognise the men who’d hijacked the cab and kidnapped her. And once they noticed her in the backseat, they had dumped her in the middle of the road where she’d luckily managed to give birth by herself. Thankfully, they’d believed her and a big storm hit the area 20 minutes later, washing away any potential evidence.

_This package has to be from him…surely…_

She doesn’t know much about the Knights of Ren; she couldn’t find anything about them online, but surely if they’d found her bag and linked her to Ben and Hux, the last thing they would be doing is returning it. She pulls the bag out and searches inside the box, but it’s empty. Trying her luck with the bag, she unzips it and notices all her contents inside are neatly folded…something she knows she didn’t do. She pulls out her fluffy robe and hears something drop to the floor.

She stares at the item in surprise for a moment, not quite believing her eyes…

It’s a packet of Cracker Jacks.

Her mouth curls into a slow smile as she bends down to pick it up.

She’d be lying if she said that most nights when she was up late feeding her son that her mind didn’t drift to Ben Solo. Sometimes she felt deep-seated anger towards him for what he had put her through that night, and for being part of such a violent and dangerous organisation, but most of the time she was worried and wondering where he was and if he was okay. The simple message of the Cracker Jacks is the only answer she needs and a weight instantly lifts off her shoulders. 

“Look, Jack,” she says quietly, and walks up to the bassinet to show him the packet. The baby is now awake and looking up at her with sleepy eyes. “This is what you're named after. When I was younger it brought me comfort and reminded me that I wasn’t alone. And that’s what I’m always going to give to you, my sweet baby boy.”

Rey opens the packet and pops a piece of caramel popcorn into her mouth, the taste so familiar that her thoughts can’t help but drift to him…not to the boy he once was, but now to the man. And hoping that one day soon he would find his way back and come home safely…

_To ~~her~~ …Coruscant. _


	2. The One With The Birthday Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the wait on this chapter. With job changes, illnesses and getting ready for Christmas, life has gotten away from me. I hope you enjoy and also note the time jumps in this chapter.

“Oh, my god, Jack!” Rey laughs, taking in the messy scene in front of her. 

“It certainly looks like he’s enjoying his first birthday cake,” Finn replies, with a smile.

“I think that’s an understatement,” she says, lifting her chocolate-covered son out of his highchair. “We can’t go and see what the rest of our guests are up to while you’re looking like this, buddy. Plus, Mama doesn’t want cake all through her living room.”

“He reminds me of you when you first tried chocolate cake,” Finn says, grabbing a wet washer from the nearby sink to help clean Jack’s messy hands. “Your eyes went all wide and scary looking. I thought you were having a stroke.”

Rey laughs and rolls her eyes in amusement.

“And oh my god, the sounds that came out of you,” Finn adds. “They weren’t human. Not to mention the mess you left - ”

“Hey!” Rey cuts in, feeling herself blush at the memory. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“It was the messiest thing I’ve ever witnessed and remember, I used to live next door to a dump.”

Rey sighs and gives her friend a sympathetic smile. Like her, Finn also grew up in the foster care system. When they met, it was the foundation they used to build their friendship, but over time and as they got to know one another, they found they had a lot more in common. “You know you shouldn’t bad mouth me in front of my kid,” she jokes. 

“You’re no fun,” Finn grins, throwing the stained washer in the sink. “But seriously, it was like witnessing something out of Jurassic Park. I didn’t know whether to be impressed or run for my life.”

“Now you’re exaggerating,” Rey says, shaking her head and laughing. 

“I’m not. It was like in the first movie when the group of raptors – ”

“Ugh! Stop it,” Rey growls.

“See?! Exactly like that sound.” 

“Why do I put up with you?” Rey teases, her whole body shaking with laughter. “Besides, even if what you’re saying is true, can you really blame me? I was nineteen and had never tried chocolate cake before…or any type of cake for that matter,” she murmurs. “It was a life-changing moment.”

Finn steps forward, giving her a soft, knowing smile, and carefully lifts Jack out of her arms. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”

Brushing crumbs from her hands, Rey looks down to see the damage Jack left behind; her arms and the front of her plaid shirt are covered with matted cake and chocolate icing. She looks up and sees her baby boy being bounced in Finn’s arms, while happily sucking the icing residue off his tiny, chubby fingers. 

He’s definitely her son. 

“We probably should have had the cake outside,” Rey comments, eyeing her kitchen floor. “I bet it’s all through his diaper too.”

“It’ll be fine,” Finn reassures, putting a comforting arm around her. “The most important thing is that he had fun on his birthday. Isn’t that right, buddy?” Finn asks, looking down at Jack with a grin. “I can’t believe you’re one now. Where did that time go?”

“Tell me about it. Those first few months I swear I was trapped in my own version of Groundhog Day.”

Finn smiles, his face glowing with pride. “You made it, peanut. You should be proud of yourself.”

Rey gives him a peculiar look. “You make it sound like my parenting duties are now over.”

“You know what I mean. It was a tough first year, but we all knew you could do it. Jack is incredibly lucky to have you as his mom.”

Rey’s cheeks blush at the compliment. She doesn’t like it when the spotlight shines on her – not even for a second. “Thank you,” she says quietly and shrugs out of his grasp. “But I think you’re giving me too much credit.”

“Are you kidding me? Not only have you rocked being a mom this year, but how many moms do you know gave birth on their own after being kidnapped?”

Rey freezes at the question and the muscles in her jaw tighten under the strain. She’s never gone into detail with anyone – not even Finn - about what happened that night. If anyone brought up the heroic event, she’d shrug away their praise and questions, saying she was lucky it was an easy birth and that help arrived in time. But there are moments - especially when Jack ‘s asleep and the apartment is quiet - that she thinks about it. Not so much the horror and fear she went through that night, but of Ben and what he did to help her. 

Since her belongings mysteriously appeared at her door nine months ago, she hasn’t heard or received a whisper from him. But that hadn’t stopped the little place inside her that she’d always reserved for Ben Solo since she was a teen to manifest and grow. Some days it was normal for her thoughts to drift and become occupied about whether he had escaped the violent clutches of the Knights of Ren and Snoke. That fateful night she caught a glimpse of the boy she once knew and the man who was desperately trying to escape. 

They didn’t have to admit it, but it was clear that the bond between them was still there. It may have dulled over the years, but it certainly wasn’t broken. As a young girl, she’d been left lost and alone, and he’d been the only person (besides Maz) who’d reached out and offered her a lifeline. If she ever got the chance - and if it was safe to do so - she wanted to offer him the same salvation. 

“Rey. Rey! Are you okay?”

Rey shakes her head and shuffles her thoughts back into place. “I’m fine,” she says, giving him a smile which she hopes isn’t coming out as a grimace. Finn could always read her. “I was just thinking about what a crazy year this has been, and I don’t think I would have survived without your help. You really went above and beyond for me.”

Finn grins, his attention centred. “Anything for my best friend and godson.” 

Rey groans, folding her arms across her chest. “Are you still on this Godfather business? Because we’ve been over this a hundred times. I’m not getting him baptised.”

“I know,” he whines, pulling a funny face that causes both Rey and Jack to giggle. “I mean being named his godfather, unofficially. Think about it, Rey. If you suddenly got struck by lightning tomorrow and died, what would happen to Jack?”

“I find that scenario highly unlikely,” she points out, moving across to the other side of the kitchen. She looks out into the adjoining living room, where some of her remaining party guests are still mingling. Sighing heavily, she suddenly feels exhausted. She knows she can’t avoid this line of questioning forever, especially when Finn keeps bringing it up. But she’s an adult now, not to mention a mother, and she needs to think responsibly. “I see where you’re coming from,” she admits.

Finn nods his head, looking serious. “I know it’s not a pleasant thing to talk about. But I do think it’s something you need to consider. Maz is getting older and her health is deteriorating. I know she’s his Grandmother, but we both know she couldn’t handle chasing around a one-year old.”

Rey nods sadly, eyeing her elderly adoptive mother, who is sitting down on the couch, trying to eat a piece of birthday cake. Maz slowly brings the soft, crumbling piece to her mouth before it slips out of her grip and lands unceremoniously back onto her plate. Seeing the evidence right in front of her that Maz is getting frailer by the day, and no longer resembling the bright and spritely woman who first took her in, makes Rey’s heart hurt. 

“But hey,” Finn rubs her shoulder. “If you don’t want me to be Jack’s godfather, there is another option.”

She looks up and sees his mouth forming into a Cheshire cat grin. She knows that look. And knows that nothing good ever comes out of it.

“You could always ask Poe to be the godfather?” He suggests. 

A shock of silence fills the kitchen before Rey’s eyes widen. “What? Are you kidding me?”

“Why not?” Finn shrugs, but it’s clear to Rey that he’s biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing. “You’ve told me numerous times he’s great with Jack.”

“Yeah, but I was talking about how he’s great when I need help for a couple of hours. Not a lifetime of child-rearing responsibility,” she bemoans. “Poe can barely take care of himself.”

“Did I hear my name and a woman groaning in annoyance?” An amused voice pops up behind them before the face gives them a smirk. “They’re not the type of sounds I’m used to, but you have me intrigued.”

Finn starts to open his mouth to explain, but Rey cuts him off.

“It’s nothing,” she answers hurriedly and turns around to face Poe, determined to change the subject. “Thanks again for coming today. I know a one-year old’s birthday party isn’t really your scene, but Jack and I appreciate it.”

“Of course,” Poe smiles, and gives her a wink. “He’s my little chick magnet.”

Rey smiles, and thinks back to a few years ago when she first moved into her apartment building. Not even in her wildest dreams did she ever think she’d have anything to do with her neighbour, Poe. He seemed too outgoing and conceited for her liking, and the magnetic charm he oozed out of every pore kept a steady stream of women coming and going from his apartment like he was running a bus station. But surprisingly, it turned out he wasn’t as bad as she first thought, because one night six months ago, she witnessed a whole new side of him. 

It had been late at night and she’d been pacing back and forth across her living room with a crying and teething baby for what felt like hours. She’d never seen Jack so distressed, and she was beginning to feel like the worst mother in the world. She’d then heard a loud knock at the door, and immediately thought it was going to be one of her nosy neighbors coming over to complain about the noise, but when she opened the door, it was the one person she was least expecting. 

Poe. 

Before he could utter a single word, she went straight for the jugular and attacked him first. He had no right to complain about the noise. There were plenty of nights in the past where he and his conquests kept her up at all hours of the night with their enthusiastic fucking, and she never complained. So, he owed her. And for once he would put up with a racket while trying to go to sleep.

But unexpectedly, he didn’t complain. He stared back at her, looking nervous as she went on with her tirade. But as soon as she finished, he thrust a paper bag into her hands that had Coruscant Pharmacy written elegantly on the front and disappeared back inside his apartment. Closing her door, she peeked inside, surprised to see a couple of bottles of baby Tylenol and teething rings. The unexpected but sweet gesture nearly brought her to tears. It was from that night on she became grateful for having Poe as a neighbour, and he soon became a permanent fixture in their lives. 

“Well, that’s my cue to leave,” Finn says dryly and looks down at Jack. “I’m going to give our little chick magnet a quick bath. Is that okay, Rey?”

“Of course. There are some fresh clothes for him on the changing table.” 

Finn nods, and heads down the hallway towards the bathroom with a babbling Jack. Rey can’t help but smile at the scene; her son and best friend are like two peas in a pod. She shifts back towards the kitchen, suddenly taking notice of the leftover food piling up on the bench like it’s threatening to build its own pyramid. Grabbing an empty trash bag, she begins filling it up. 

“Anyway,” Poe starts, and joins in to help her with the mess. “As much as I would love to stay and watch the little guy open up some presents, I just got an urgent call from the station and I have to get my arse over to Exegol.”

“Oh,” Rey says softly, refusing to lift her head. The last time she was in Exegol, she’d been kidnapped by Ben Solo and gave birth to her son. “Well, that’s not too far from here,” she comments, trying not to let her thoughts wander. “Is everything alright?”

“I don’t know,” Poe replies, throwing a bunch of dirty napkins into the trash bag. “But whatever it is, it sounds too big to pass up. My boss said the story is right up my alley and could do amazing things for my career.”

“Hmm, that doesn’t leave me much to work with,” Rey says, pretending to ponder, her eyes now glinting with mischief. “I bet she wants you to report that Exegol’s Strip and Tease is reopening.”

Poe laughs, his eyes widening in excitement. “Now, that would be my dream assignment. I can just imagine all the multiple interviews I’d have to conduct behind closed doors.”

“It would be a hard job,” Rey says, playing along with a smile. “But if anyone can get nice and deep with their reporting style, it would be you.” 

“Okay, enough,” Poe laughs and runs a hand through his dark, wavy locks. “You’re making me horny just before I have to go to work.” 

Rey smirks. “You’re not getting any sympathy from me. It’s not my fault your mind went straight to the gutter.”

Poe blows out a breath. “Damn you, Johnson. If I weren’t a good friend, I would lay you out on this counter right now.”

“Ha! Yeah right.”

“I’m not joking.”

Rey turns and laughs. “Of course you are. You’re always yanking my chain. If we ever went on a date together, it would be a disaster.”

Poe chews on his lip and Rey can’t decipher the look that’s reflected back at her. It’s…odd and not normally a look she associates with him. But before she can question him further, he blinks a couple of times like he’s pulling himself out of a spell and his usual, charismatic grin reappears. 

“You’re right,” he agrees. “It would be a disaster of volcanic proportions. The worst date in history. Rey Johnson - yuck,” he adds and sticks out his tongue, feigning disgust.

“Hey!” She calls out and playfully swings the garbage bag so it hits him on the leg.

He chuckles and tries to dodge another swing as she continues watching him carefully. There’s still something in his eyes that seems a little…off. But after a few moments, he gives nothing more away. 

“So…um,” she turns away, dropping the bag in the corner and moves over to the sink. The weird energy between them is still helplessly vibrating, and she feels the need to do something else to avoid it. Turning on the taps, she starts filling the sink with hot water and detergent and grabs a large dirty platter. “Did your boss give you any clues to what this assignment could be about?”

“Not really. It’s in Exegol, so it could be anything unsavoury. All she mentioned was a group called The Knights of Ren.”

Rey sucks a sharp inhale of air, as the platter drops like a dead weight into the sudsy water. "What?"

“Are you alright?” Poe asks, seeming not to have heard her question, his features etched in concern. 

“Yes,” she nods quickly, trying to keep her voice at its usual tone and volume. “The water is really hot, it just took me by surprise,” she says, hoping he will believe her explanation.

“Okay. Well, be careful. Maybe add some cold water.”

She nods and follows his advice. Meanwhile, her heart is beating a thousand times a minute and threatening to explode right out of her chest. She was not expecting to hear those words. Least of all coming out of Poe’s mouth. It’s a shock - but good or bad - she doesn’t know. Ben had told her The Knights of Ren were an invisible organisation, filled with the worst criminals imaginable. And now the name has been casually dropped out loud in her kitchen like they’re talking about the weather. She feels scared and hopeful all at the same time. 

Is Ben, okay? 

Did he get out? 

Is he the reason the organisation has been noticed? 

There are so many questions racing through her brain. Not to mention the emotions that come with them. It’s like constantly being pounded by the waves of the ocean.

Rey tries to speak as calmly as she can. The last thing she needs is for Poe to find out she’s had any type of connection to The Knights of Ren, and can give him a firsthand account of what they can do in action. “So, did your boss mention anything else?”

“Not much, but the way she was acting it was like the world was coming to an end or something. She said I needed to get my butt down to Exegol right now, or I’d lose any chance of becoming a lead anchor one day. So, with that in mind, I really should get going.” He leans in and gives her shoulder a quick squeeze. “Thanks again for the invite, it was nice to hang out with your friends and meet Maz.”

“Anytime,” she says turning around and giving him what she hopes is a genuine smile. Her hands still grip the platter underneath the soapy water and she prays for him to leave now before her decorum slips. The revelation he just unwittingly dropped is killing her, and she needs a private moment alone to react. 

“Okay. I’ll catch you later. If you need me to mind Jack again on Wednesday, let me know,” he adds, his voice drifting out of the kitchen. She hears him say goodbye to several of her friends before closing the door behind him. 

Only then does she give herself permission to expel a heavy breath, as her whole body follows and sags against the sink.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” She mutters to herself and grips the bench in front of her so hard that her fingers start to lose feeling. 

“What’s going on? What does this mean?” she whispers to herself, mindful that she still has guests in the other room and her son will be finishing his bath at any moment. She paces her kitchen floor to try and get a hold of herself. 

You’re being ridiculous. This whole thing has nothing to do with you. So, what if you spent one night for a few hours in the presence of two members of The Knights of Ren? No will find out. 

Surely. 

She stops pacing and looks out towards her kitchen window. She doesn’t have much of a view thanks to the neighbouring apartment buildings, but she can see a few of the trees she knows are at the park that Jack regularly loves to attend. 

“Rey, dear, would you mind getting an old woman a glass of water?” A soft voice pipes up from behind her.

Recognising the voice, Rey turns and gives a bright smile. “Of course, Maz,” she answers gratefully and places a supportive arm around the tiny woman’s fragile shoulders. “I’ve got your favourite iced tea out on the table if you would like that instead?”

Maz’s eyes grow in interest, which causes them to look large and bug-eyed behind her coke-bottle glasses. Rey laughs, knowing Maz could never resist a good iced tea and leads her out into the living room, hoping that any thoughts about the Knights of Ren or Ben Solo will stay quiet and buried…at least for the rest of the day. 

\--------------------------------

It’s not until later that night after Rey puts an exhausted Jack to bed, pours herself a glass of wine and settles in for the night with a movie that she finds her well-intentioned plans are out the window. Because as soon as she turns on the T.V. there’s no escaping it. It seems every news station in the state is reporting on the same thing; the newly uncovered criminal organisation – The Knights of Ren. 

Knowing she won’t be getting a wink of sleep tonight, Rey grabs the bottle of wine from the fridge and pours herself another generous amount. She takes a long sip, hoping it will provide some temporary relief to her stomach that feels like it’s in knots. Sitting back on the couch, she turns the station to channel nine. If she’s going to hear more about this, then she wants it coming from a friendly face. Right away Poe’s familiar features grace across her screen, where he’s reporting live with a colleague on the steps of Exegol Court House. 

Funnily enough, they seem to be arguing about how such a dangerous organisation came to be founded in their state, and why its members have never popped up on the radar of the authorities until now. 

“We’ve just come back from a press conference with the State’s Police Commissioner and the Mayor of Exegol, and folks this story will be one for our state’s history books wouldn’t you say, Zorii?” Poe asks, turning to his fellow reporter, his face firm and serious. Rey blinks and takes another gulp of her wine. She’s never seen him with such an unfamiliar demeanour before. Whatever happened in that press conference must have shocked him to the core. 

“That’s right, Poe,” Zorii agrees, following his lead and facing directly into the camera. “What we’ve been able to gather tonight is that a secret underworld organisation, who call themselves the Knights of Ren, have allegedly been responsible for some of the state’s most serious and heinous crimes over the past ten years. We know nothing yet about its members, only that they’ve all been arrested in coordinated raids across the state early this morning, including three men right here in Exegol. I can honestly say as a citizen of Coruscant this news has hit too close to home.” 

“Absolutely,” Poe agrees. “Although the commissioner was tight-lipped about the individuals involved, he did reveal the FBI had been working in close contact with the local law enforcement during the twelve month investigation. It is alleged that all individuals involved could be facing several life terms in prison. But stay with us, as after the break, I’ll be speaking exclusively to the Mayor of Exegol…” 

Rey quickly turns off her T.V. not wanting to hear another word. Instead, she throws the remote onto the floor and dashes into the kitchen, where she vomits the contents of her stomach into the sink. As the minutes tick by and her nausea continues to linger, there’s only one thought in her mind and it’s prominent. 

Ben. 

~ Three months later ~

“Jack, slow down buddy,” Rey calls out to her son, who’s up ahead on the park’s winding path, having a great time trying to kick his ball.

She swears her son learnt to run first instead of walk. 

Rey quickens her pace, pushing along his stroller, as she tries to catch up to him. The park is quiet today, the day overcast with misty rain, but Rey knows they have to visit at least once a day so Jack can burn off some energy, otherwise, he doesn’t sleep well of a night. 

She watches as he stops, trying to coordinate his little legs before he kicks the ball off into the distance. He giggles at his newfound skill and chases after it, leaving Rey to cover more ground.

She groans as the ball rolls away and stops in a bushy garden bed. Her son bolts to retrieve it. 

It’s at that moment she notices a tall body wearing dark clothing and a baseball cap, suddenly appearing from behind one of the park’s fig trees. She observes the looming body and her eyes widen in panic when the figure bends down next to her son.

A literal growl rips out from Rey’s throat, like a mama bear seeing her cub in danger. Her protective instincts kick in as she discards the pram and races towards them. 

“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing, fucker?!” She screams.

She swears her body is flying, considering how fast she’s running, and as she approaches the scene, her son looks up at her with worried eyes. She knows she’s probably scaring him, but there’s a strange man who’s just appeared out of nowhere. 

The figure stands up carefully, her son’s ball in his hands.

“I’m sorry.”

That voice. 

That deep, baritone voice…

Rey stops in her tracks, and she wonders if she’s imagining things. She slowly leans forward and tries to catch a glimpse of the face she suspects is under the cap. She takes another couple of steps and the figure gradually lifts the brim of his cap and meets her eyes. 

“Ben,” she whispers.


	3. The One With The Reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's taken me a while to update. I wanted to get a couple of chapters written first before I posted again, plus I quit my job of 8 years and have taken on a role in a new industry. It's going well, but I've needed some time to get my head around it and get used to my new routine. 
> 
> Thank you to my beta, Louise. 
> 
> We get a lot of answers in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy!

“Ben…is that you?” Rey breathes.

The figure nods, dropping his hand from his cap.

Rey stares blankly, her eyes glued to the man who has haunted her dreams and everyday life for over a year. He looks shockingly different from their previous encounter, no longer cold and aloof but…vulnerable and apprehensive. His face hallowed out that his cheekbones are visible.

The image shakes her current perception of reality.

“I…I can’t believe you’re standing here right in front of me,” Rey whispers.

“Me too…” he rasps, sounding like he hasn’t used his voice in days. They continue staring, taking each other in, before he coughs and clears his throat. “The plan wasn’t for you to see me.”

Rey shifts from her stupor, her brows creasing in confusion. “I don’t understand. Have you been waiting for me?”

Ben takes off his cap and sweeps a nervous hand through his dark and sweaty hair. “I swear it’s not as creepy as it sounds…or maybe it is,” he adds, looking at her worriedly. “I didn’t mean to scare you earlier. I would never hurt you or your son.” Ben looks down and takes in the little boy who is staring up at him with bright, curious eyes. Carefully, like he’s approaching a wild animal, he hands the ball to Jack, who takes it with no hesitation and gives him a toothy grin. The surprising response causes Ben to do a double-take before he curls his mouth in a tight smile.

Looking between them, Rey nods at his words. She knows he wouldn’t hurt them – he’s already proven that.

“I just needed to see you with my own eyes, to make sure you were both okay. And I knew this park was close to your home, so I took a chance…”

Rey’s eyes soften at his unexpected confession. In all her life no one’s ever come back to check on her. Once they’re gone, they’re gone from her life for good.

“We’re okay,” Rey says, her voice now hoarse with unwanted emotion. “But I’m confused. How did you get here? I thought you were in jail. I saw the T.V reports – no names were mentioned, but they said all the members of the Knights of Ren were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.”

Ben looks at her carefully, his eyes moving like he’s battling with something inside himself.

“I’m already involved in this. There’s no changing that,” Rey reminds him. “So, you may as well tell me what happened. You owe me that much.”

Ben carefully lowers, looking around to make sure no one’s listening, before leaning in and meeting her eyes. “Yes,” he confirms softly. “Snoke and all the members of the Knights of Ren are now locked up and serving their life sentences in solitary confinement.”

Rey lets out a loud, choking gasp, and her body immediately relaxes as relief seeps through every pore and molecule in her body. It’s like his confirmation was the antidote she needed to stop her worst nightmares from constantly playing on a loop inside her head. A balm to begin the healing that had wounded her fifteen months ago. 

She wasn’t able to find out much more about the court case – no one could. Due to the nature and severity of the organisation and their crimes, it was declared a closed trial with no jury or members of the press allowed. The latter had devastated Poe. But it hadn’t stopped him from trying to dig up any story he could in order to impress his boss – however his efforts and misguidance had only led him to spend a night in jail for breaking and entering. Luckily, the charges were dropped and his station manager didn’t fire him. The trial had only concluded last week with no names shared, and only a general statement about the verdict and sentencing given to the public. So, with no other options, Poe reluctantly let it go, but Rey could tell the whole case still bothered him every time they talked.

“It’s okay, Rey. I haven’t broken out of prison if that’s what you’re thinking,” Ben says, trying to gauge her reaction. “I wasn’t arrested or charged…. not really anyway.”

“Huh?” Rey splutters. “Not really, arrested? That doesn’t make sense. Is it safe for you to be here?” She looks around quickly, almost expecting another figure to jump out behind the trees and surprise them. But all she sees are a few people off in the distance, pushing their kids on the swings.

She turns back, giving him a pointed look. She doesn’t want to live the rest of her life in fear or to be left in the dark about what happened after that night in Exogol. Since then, she’d hoped to see him again, and now that he’s finally here and in one piece she’s thankful, but she also needs answers.

“Did you work with the FBI?” She asks him directly. “There was no mention on the news about an informant, but there had to have been. How else would they have found out?”

He stares at her blankly.

“Plus, you’re here and not in jail…”

He hangs his head.

“Did you go to the FBI after you helped me?”

His head snaps up. “Don’t you mean after I kidnapped you?” He replies sharply, ignoring her question.

She shakes her head, starting to feel frustrated. “I know you’re used to keeping your secrets but please answer the question.”

He continues staring, his eyes boring into hers. The darkness of his irises remind Rey of thunderclouds brewing before a storm.

She’s not afraid. “You can trust me. Please.” 

He closes his eyes like he’s in pain and Rey thinks he’s not going to reveal any more, but then he voices out a strangled, “Yes. I went to the FBI.”

Rey’s eyes begin to water; she didn’t realise how much those words would affect her. “That’s…. amazing,” she tells him in awe.

But the look on his face says he doesn’t agree with her. “I don’t need your praise,” he says, his tone coming out harsh.

Rey steps back like he’s slapped her, and she can tell the second Ben realises his mistake as his eyes go wide and he takes a hesitant step towards her. “No, that came out wrong. What I meant to say was that I don’t _deserve_ your praise.”

“Well I think you do,” she answers, her dignity feeling a little wounded. “I can only imagine how dangerous it was for you.”

Ben looks over her shoulder and doesn’t comment.

Rey sighs, she knows she shouldn’t expect too much from him. He’s still a stranger in many ways and she can tell he’s used to being strong and in control. Never giving anything away.

As her mind wanders to the mystery that is Ben Solo, a sudden thought hits her like a stray bullet. “Wait! Shouldn’t you be in witness protection? Or at least wearing a disguise?”

Surprisingly, Ben lets out a throaty chuckle, the sound reverberating through his chest like a car motor, and she wonders for a moment if he’s gone mad. “I don’t need to be in witness protection,” he says, rubbing a hand through the dark scruff growing down his jawline. “Firstly, all the members of the organisation have been arrested and sentenced, and secondly, they don’t know it was me who snitched on them.”

“But…”

“That honor goes to Hux.”

Rey’s eyes widen. “Hux? But he’s…”

“Dead and his body burned, yes.”

From everything she knows about him and the Knights of Ren, she doesn’t know why she’s shocked that he’s talking about killing and burning another human being like he’s telling her what he had for breakfast this morning. She did wonder what had happened to Hux’s body. But there’s one thing thinking about it and another thing having it confirmed. She gazes down at her son, who is now digging in the garden bed by her feet, and it’s so easy to get over the initial horror. Hux wanted her and Jack dead. In her opinion, he got everything he deserved. 

“But Snoke and the Knights of Ren don’t know that part. I made it sound like he went rogue and they grew suspicious,” Ben continues. “They believe the FBI put Hux into witness protection and that he was the one who testified against them anonymously by video.”

Rey splutters. “Are you sure they believe that? That there’s no suspicion on you?”

Ben lowers his head. “Rey, I was careful, and I wouldn’t be here talking to you if I had even the slightest inkling, I was putting all of us in danger. Besides, I stayed in that courtroom with all of them the whole time. I did the video in secret using a mask and modulator to disguise my voice. They think I’m currently like them; serving my sentence in solitary confinement.”

Rey looks bewildered. All of this sounding insane and unbelievable.

“That’s what I meant when I said I wasn’t really arrested. The FBI gave me immunity. But Snoke had to see that I was brought in from the raid, otherwise, my cover would have been blown.”

“I need to sit down,” Rey says, feeling lightheaded. Looking alarmed, Ben quickly takes her by the arms and helps her shaking limbs to the soft grass. Jack sees this as an invitation, and toddles over and plops himself in her lap, not aware of the seriousness or worry going on between the two adults.

Ben anxiously scans her body, assessing for anything out of the ordinary. “I’m sorry.”

She closes her eyes and wraps her arms around her son. His sweet and childlike presence keeps her grounded and she starts to feel a bit better. “This whole thing could be made into a movie.”

Ben scoffs, “Yeah, it would be called my life.”

She cracks a smile at his attempt at humor, before becoming serious again. “Aren’t you worried that their families could recognise you and want revenge?”

Ben smiles sadly. “None of us had any family, or if we did, we had no contact with them. That’s how Snoke operated and recruited members in the first place.”

Rey listens closely, wondering if he’s going to talk about the details of how he joined.

“When we met him, we were all lonely and angry outcasts, wanting to be seen for who we truly are,” he explains. “It was a strategic move, which luckily has now worked in my favor.”

At the mention of family, Rey thinks briefly of Ben’s. She remembers from back in high school that he had no siblings and only his mom in the picture. Rey had never met her but had heard she was the president of the school’s parent and guardian committee. He was so smart and seemed to have such a bright future ahead of him – so what did he mean when he said he wanted to be seen for who he truly is…

“Anyway, you were right. I owed you an explanation and I’m sorry I was difficult earlier. I’m just not used to…all this… and I wanted to….” He stammers off and she notices his cheeks have turned a soft tinge of pink.

“What?” she asks, curiously.

He looks at her thoughtfully for a moment, before shaking his head and looking away. “Nothing,” he answers.

She stays silent for a few seconds, waiting patiently for him to say anything else.

He sighs heavily and turns to look back at her. “Just so you know, I didn’t mean for this to hang over your head too.”

“I know. I believe you.”

“Good.”

“But just so we’re clear and I can sleep better at night,” she half-jokes. “The three of us are safe now?”

“Yes. I swear it,” he says, staring at her so intensely, that his eyes bore into hers with such conviction that the last strip of doubt in her mind cuts away cleanly.

She bites her lip and looks down at Jack who’s hopped off her lap and picked up his ball again. “Well, in a way that’s a shame,” she tells him, her mouth turning into an amused smile. 

Ben looks at her confused for a moment, not sure how to take her before she takes pity on him and laughs.

“I would have liked to have seen you as a blonde.”

He laughs and his smile has a hint of shyness to it, that she remembers seeing every now again when they shared a look in school. It’s amazing how much his demeanour has changed since Exegol. It’s like he’s shedding a second skin and morphing into something else that is still undefined and adapting.

Rey stands and brushes the dirt from her jeans. “This is a lot of information to process. I think it’s going to take me a few years to get over it,” she half-jokes.

“Yeah,” Ben agrees, but his tone has turned serious. He stands to join her, his full height and build reminding her of the industrial size refrigerator they have at work. “But you don’t need to worry. I won’t be interfering in your life anymore.”

Those words quickly grab her attention and leave her momentarily speechless. That’s not what she meant when she mentioned about moving on. But before she can argue, his body language has softened, and his attention is focused on her son. “I can’t believe how big he is now. He’s like a real little person.”

Following his lead with the change in topic, Rey can’t help but smile proudly. She leans down and picks up her son. “Jack definitely keeps me on my toes,” she jokes and kisses his pudgy cheek. “He’s fifteen months old now.”

“You named him, Jack?”

“Yeah. I named him after you…sort of,” she reveals and feels her cheeks flush at the admission. “After the Cracker Jacks, you used to give me.”

Ben’s mouth drops before he lowers his head and gazes down at the grass stunned.

“Did you want to hold him – ”

“I have to go,” he says suddenly, cutting her off and putting his cap back on, making sure it’s covering the top of his face. It’s like the park has suddenly been engulfed in flames and he can’t flee quick enough. “Take care, Rey,” he stammers, almost tripping over his large feet and crossing half the park with his powerful strides before Rey can even play catch up to what’s happening.

“Wait!” Rey yells, striding hurriedly towards him, Jack still balanced on her hip. “Where are you staying?”

To her relief, Ben stops and turns around to face her. He looks hesitant for a second before replying. “At a hostel, a few blocks away.”

Rey grimaces. None of the hostels in the city are any good unless you enjoy seeing rats running across the floors and bed bugs keeping you up at night. She takes another step towards him, glancing down and focusing on his clothes; they’re wrinkled with a small number of holes. She can imagine back when he was working under Snoke that he’d made a lot of money and she doubts the FBI would have allowed him to keep it.

“Why don’t you stay with me?” 

His eyes grow wide and she quickly continues before he can come up with another excuse to bolt. “I have a couch – it’s a fold-out but it’s comfortable.”

His posture hardens and he strides towards her. “What are you doing, Rey? You don’t owe me anything.”

As foolish as it might seem to some, Rey believes she does. She won’t voice it to him, but there’s something going on inside her that she can’t articulate. She knows it has something to do with their bond; it’s calling out and playing echoes of her memories from their time together in high school. He helped her…. more than he’ll ever know, and she wants to do the same for him.

She lowers Jack back to the ground. “I know I’m not under any obligation. But you need help… and I want to help,” she points out, shrugging her shoulders like the reason is simple.

He leans in, his rough voice but a whisper. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You’ve been around me for a total of two hours in the last fifteen months, and for most of that time, I was your kidnapper. I have no place in your life. I’m a dangerous criminal.”

“Not anymore,” she tells him firmly, matching his intensity. “And you don’t plan to be ever again, right?” She challenges, lifting her chin as his tall frame stands across from hers rigidly.

A few seconds pass, neither of them breaking contact as they both refuse to back down like they’re participating in a telepathic dare. Rey feels herself sinking the longer she stays tethered, and can’t help but notice the contrast of honey flecks swimming amongst the darkness of his eyes. Without thinking her feet take a step forward, crowding his personal space. He takes a step back away from her, before sighing in defeat and nodding his head.

“Good,” she says, and it’s all the confirmation she needs to break the spell between them and gather her thoughts. She lifts Jack back up onto her hip. “Come by my place at about 5 pm, as we usually eat early. I’m going to assume you remember where I live, since you dropped off my hospital bag…”

He looks lost like he’s still contemplating if her offer is real.

She smiles at his confusion and gives him one last look. “Jack and I will see you later.” She leans down and picks up the ball Jack had dropped again and turns around, heading in the direction of the pram that she’d dumped earlier. She feels his piercing gaze following her every step.

She knows this is the right thing to do – for both of them. She just hopes he will come around and feel the same way.

\---------------

Sitting on her couch later that afternoon, Rey stares back down again at her phone to check the time.

4:59 pm.

The butterflies in her stomach are growing more impatient by the second as she wonders if he’s going to turn up. It’s the smartest thing to do but accepting help when you’re at your lowest isn’t easy. Rey knows that for a fact.

“Mama,” Jack babbles, losing interest in his toy train and walks over to her, carrying his favorite book.

“You want me to read this to you, buddy?”

He squeals and claps his hands. “Dog.”

“That’s right, there’s a dog in your book. What sound does a dog make?”

“Woof, woof,”

“Great job,” she praises and lifts him onto her lap. He settles his tiny head against her chest, and she strokes a soothing hand through his soft hair, admiring his brown locks that are starting to curl at the ends. “Do you think Ben will come?” She voices her worries out loud, not expecting a response.

He turns his head and looks at her carefully like he’s seriously pondering her question. He then points to the entry. “Door,” he says.

For a moment Rey’s confused, but then her ears prick up at the soft knocking sound.

Rey smiles. “Well aren’t you clever,” she tells Jack, placing him back on the floor with his book. “Mama will be back in a moment.”

She walks to the door and takes a deep breath.

_Here we go._

She opens it up wide and takes him in. He still looks the same as he did a few hours ago, the only difference being the black suitcase at his feet.

“I’m glad you came,” she smiles in welcome.

“And I was hoping you would have come to your senses and not opened the door.”

Rey’s face drops and she leans against the door frame. “I’m not going to take back my offer. You deserve a second chance and you’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like.”

“I think a lot of people would disagree with you on that,” he responds surely, taking off his cap. “Besides, if you knew some of the things I’ve done, I can guarantee you that you wouldn’t let me take one step inside.”

“Are we really going to do this now? In the hallway where anyone can hear?”

Ben pauses, taking in the neighboring apartments that seem quiet with no nosy neighbors, sticking their heads out into the hall to listen. But that could change at any moment. “No,” he replies, with a touch of stubbornness. 

“Well, come in before Jack decides to use this opportunity to escape. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Ben’s eyes widen at the prospect and without any further argument, he quickly grabs his suitcase and follows Rey inside. He scans the entry like he’s expecting to see Jack getting ready for his getaway.

Rey chuckles. She’ll have to remember that little trick when she needs Ben to do something. “Don’t worry, he’s in the living room. He’s too engrossed with his book at the moment.”

She feels him follow behind her, his eyes taking in and inspecting every possession she owns. His bulking presence suddenly makes her small apartment feel even tinier. It’s not unpleasant, just different.

She leads him to the couch where Jack is now sitting turning the pages of his book. His bright eyes look up when he notices them.

“Look, Jack. It’s Ben. Do you remember him from the park? He’s going to be staying with us for a little while. Can you say hi?”

Jack lifts his pudgy hand and opens and closes it in what looks like a sideways wave.

“That’s how he says hi,” she explains to Ben.

“Hello, Jack,” Ben says somewhat formally. It’s obvious he’s never spent a lot of time around children before.

“So…how about I show you around – ”

“Rey,” Ben cuts in and puts a careful hand on her forearm. “This will only be for a couple of days and I’m going to give you some money towards rent –”

“You don’t have to do that – ”

“I won’t be a charity case,” he tells her firmly.

She wants to argue with him, but she knows where he’s coming from and can’t fault him for it. Her experiences in the foster care system always made her feel like a charity case. After her adoption, Maz couldn’t afford a lot of things, even after receiving a monthly allowance from the department to go towards any of Rey’s expenses. When there was a bit of spare money lying around it always felt odd taking it from Maz for the occasional shop for clothing or toiletries, but even then, Rey always shopped at the goodwill stores. The first time she earned her first paycheck from the restaurant, it was more than she could have ever hoped for. She literally cried with happiness and then splurged that night on a ham and pineapple pizza to celebrate.

“Whatever you say,” she assures, determined for now to keep the peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I'd love to hear what you thought and if you're interested in reading any more from this universe.


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